52. Do you think that the British influence in India was positive or negative? Explain your answer

The British influence in India was both positive and negative, but I think it was more negative.
The British established an empire in India in order to take advantage of resources and to find a market for their goods.
India had a flourishing textile industry; Indians were one of the first people to grow cotton. The British wanted to use India as a market for their own cheaper, machine-made textiles. They imported raw cotton from India, made it into cloth, and shipped the finished product back to India for sale. Because of this, many Indians lost their jobs.
The British also didn’t treat the Indians as equals. They took higher positions of power and the Indians had to stay at a lower level. This angered them.

The colonial rulers, however, also made positive changes such as ending slavery, improving schools, and building a large railroad network that benefited India.
Finally, the Indians, led by Mohandas Gandhi, used non-violent resistance such as boycotting British products to pressure Britain into granting India independence in 1947.